Google has announced a new security system designed to protect the personal accounts of users most exposed to attacks, such as journalists or activists, company directors, or electoral campaign teams.

This new Advanced Protection Program offers, according to the company, the greatest security for those who need it most. Those who register in the program will have the greatest defenses that Google is able to offer their accounts.

Three main barriers

Google’s advanced protection program is based on three core defenses:

Protection against phishing

Blocking fraudulent access to an account

Protection to avoid sharing sensitive data by accident.

In the case of anti-phishing, Google has added a more effective system against identity theft. If you are part of the program, you must log in to your account with a password and a physical security key. Other authentication factors, such as codes that you have received via SMS or through the Google Authenticator application, will no longer be operational.

Access to data sensitive to third-party applications will also be limited automatically, that is, emails and Drive files.

No third party app can access your Gmail or Drive, you can only use Chrome to access the services where you have logged in, such as Gmail and Photos, and if you use iOS, your default applications will no longer have access to Gmail, Contacts and Calendar.

To join the advanced protection program you must first buy 2 physical security keys : a bluetooth key that works with your phone, tablet and computer and a USB key for computers. Once you have both devices you can configure your advanced protection.

Advanced protection also incorporates additional steps to verify your identity . If you ever lose access to your account and both security keys, you will have additional verification requirements to restore access after a few days.